Hydraulic block for a ship transmission system

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic block ( 1 ), for a ship transmission system, which comprises a mounting for fixing and sealing the hydraulic control system ( 2 ), connections ( 4 ) which connect the monitoring devices, which are necessary for monitoring, and with shifting elements of the transmission for the supply of lubrication oil and the hydraulic supply, and at least one connection ( 5 )that is shielded against oil splashes, which is connected with at least one ventilating device.

This application is a National Stage completion of PCT/EP2012/051618 filed Feb. 1, 2012, which claims priority from German patent application Ser. No. 20 2011 003 530.1 filed Mar. 4, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hydraulic block for a ship transmission system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to satisfy the requirements or structural specifications of the classification associations for the design of ship's transmissions, in a ship's transmission various monitoring devices for the lubrication oil supply and the hydraulic supply of the shifting elements have to be provided. Such devices can for example be temperature switches, temperature sensors, pressure switches or pressure sensors.

Furthermore, at least one ventilating device for the transmission should be provided, which must be arranged in a position protected from oil splashes.

From the prior art it is known to attach the monitoring devices and the at least one ventilating device to various points on the ship's transmission, but this has the disadvantageous results that corresponding holes and fastenings have to be provided on the housing of the transmission and that orientation is made more difficult for the user.

In addition, during the development of the ship's transmission suitable locations have to be established for fixing the monitoring devices and for the oil ducts for the hydraulic controls and for supplying oil to the lubrication oil circuit, whereas depending on the design of the transmission a high-pressure connection for a shaft brake for braking the propeller shaft and/or for a shiftable auxiliary drive output must be provided. All this increases the development costs and effort.

Furthermore, this results in a lack of standardization of the necessary wiring, so that due to the differing positions of the attached monitoring devices, the maintenance and testing of every transmission is made more complex.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to disclose a hydraulic block for a ship transmission system, which can be integrated as a standard component in many transmission families and whose use, compared with the prior art, reduces the number of components required and the structural space needed for attaching the monitoring devices necessary for the supply of lubrication oil and for the hydraulic supply of the shifting elements.

According to these a hydraulic block for a ship transmission system is proposed, which comprises a mounting for fixing and sealing the hydraulic control system, connections for the necessary monitoring devices for the supply of lubrication oil and for the hydraulic supply of the shifting elements of the transmission, and a connection shielded from oil splashes for at least one ventilating device.

In a further development of the invention the hydraulic block can comprise additional measurement connections for the lubrication oil pressure and the pressure in the shifting elements of the transmission. Moreover, the hydraulic block can comprise a connection for the pressure oil duct from the oil pump for supplying the hydraulic control system.

In addition the hydraulic block can comprise at least one high-pressure connection for actuating a shaft brake and/or a shiftable auxiliary drive output, as well as optional mountings for at least one lubrication pressure limiting valve. An additional connection is provided for the supply of lubrication oil to the auxiliary drive.

The concept according to the invention makes available a hydraulic block for a ship transmission system which can be used with many transmission families. Thanks to the integrated connections and functions, a very compact structure compared with the prior art is obtained and fewer components are needed.

Furthermore, production and assembly costs are reduced and standardization and regularization of the necessary wiring are enabled in a simple manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, an example of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the attached figures, which show:

FIG. 1: A schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a hydraulic block according to the invention,

FIG. 2: Another perspective view of the hydraulic block shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3: A further perspective view of the hydraulic block shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a hydraulic block 1 designed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, which comprises a mounting for fixing and sealing the hydraulic control system 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; in the example shown the hydraulic control unit 2 is screwed to the hydraulic block 1 by means of screw-bolts 3. The hydraulic block 1 is fixed onto the transmission housing and is securely sealed relative to the transmission housing.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the hydraulic block 1 has connections 4 for the necessary monitoring devices for the lubrication oil supply and for the hydraulic supply of the shifting elements of the transmission. In addition a connection 5 shielded from oil splashes is provided for a ventilating device, this being shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As can be seen clearly in FIG. 1, the hydraulic block 1 has additional measurement connections 6 for the lubrication oil pressure and for the pressure in the shifting elements of the transmission, and a connection 7 for the pressure oil duct from the oil pump for supplying the hydraulic control system 2.

In the example shown, and referring to FIG. 1, the hydraulic block 1 has respective high-pressure connections 8, 9 for the actuation of a shaft brake and for the actuation of a shiftable auxiliary drive output of the transmission. For the supply of lubrication oil to an auxiliary drive a connection 11 is provided, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The return line to the transmission lubrication oil circuit is indexed 10 in FIG. 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the hydraulic block 1 illustrated also has mountings 12 for the fitting of two lubrication pressure limiting valves.

Indexes

-   1 Hydraulic block -   2 Hydraulic control unit -   3 Screw-bolts -   4 Connections for the necessary monitoring devices -   5 Connection for a venting device -   6 Measurement connections -   7 Connection for the pressure oil duct from the oil pump -   8 High-pressure connection -   9 High-pressure connection -   10 Return line to the transmission lubrication oil circuit -   11 Connection for supplying lubricant to an auxiliary drive -   12 Mounting fixtures for lubrication pressure limiting valves 

1-5. (canceled)
 6. A hydraulic block (1), for a ship transmission system, comprising: a mounting for fixing and sealing a hydraulic control system (2), connections (4) for a supply of lubrication oil and a hydraulic supply of shifting elements of the transmission for monitoring devices, a further connection (5), for at least one ventilating device, shielded against oil splashes, and additional measurement connections (6) for lubrication oil pressure and pressure in the shifting elements of the transmission.
 7. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic block (1) further comprises another connection (7) for a pressure oil duct from connecting an oil pump to the supply of the hydraulic control system.
 8. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic block (1) further comprises at least one high-pressure connection (8, 9) for at least one of actuating a shaft brake and actuating a shiftable auxiliary drive output.
 9. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic block (1) further comprises mounting fixtures (12) for at least one lubrication pressure limiting valve.
 10. A hydraulic block (1) for a transmission system of a ship, the hydraulic block comprising: a mounting to which a hydraulic control system (2) being fixed and sealed, a plurality of device and supply connections (4) for connecting the hydraulic block with monitoring devices, a lubrication oil supply and a hydraulic supply, the hydraulic supply supplying hydraulic fluid to at least one transmission shifting element, a ventilation connection (5) connecting at least one ventilating device to the hydraulic block, and the ventilation connection being located on the hydraulic block so as to be shielded against oil splashes, and a plurality of measurement connections (6) being coupled with measurement devices for measuring lubrication oil pressure and a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the shifting elements of the transmission.
 11. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 10, wherein a pressure oil duct is connected to a duct connection (7) of the hydraulic block which connects an oil pump to a supply of the hydraulic control system.
 12. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 11, wherein at least one high-pressure connection (8, 9) connects the hydraulic block to at least one of a shaft brake and a shiftable auxiliary drive output which are actuatable with high pressure.
 13. The hydraulic block (1) for the ship transmission system according to claim 12, wherein mounting fixtures (12) mount at least one lubrication pressure limiting valve to the hydraulic block. 